Certified lactation counselor Elizabeth Schmerold, a nurse practitioner at OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center’s first pediatric physician’s office, earned certification through the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice, a national organization. Schmerold, who became officially certified as a lactation counselor Dec. 8, came to the pediatric office immediately from working at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

“I decided to become a certified lactation counselor because there’s such a need for women and babies. So many women know how beneficial breastfeeding is and want to do this, but they start out and find themselves unsuccessful,” Schmerold explained.

“Sixty percent of moms don’t reach their goal of the amount of time they set for breastfeeding,” she noted. “I like to start by asking a mom, ‘What is your goal?’ I try to help her reach her goal.”

Schmerold works in the office with its pediatrician, Dr. Ameera Nauman, as part of a five-person care team. The new pediatric physician’s office, part of OSF HealthCare Medical Group and located in the OSF Medical Office Building, suite 101, on Alton’s Saint Anthony’s Health Center campus, opened in mid-October. Schmerold and Dr. Nauman both also make rounds in Saint Anthony’s newborn nursery and meet with new mothers there.

Schmerold trained for an additional three years beyond her nursing degree to become a nurse practitioner. Her experience at St. Louis Children’s Hospital influenced and inspired her decision to become a certified lactation counselor, she noted.

“The main reason was to be a source of support for moms and babies,” she said.

Breastfeeding is a natural means to feed infants, used through the ages and before there were baby bottles and formula.

“It’s definitely the most natural way to feed a baby, a natural process, initiated from birth,” Schmerold continued. “It’s from the baby’s natural place on mom’s belly, that typically a baby will self attach to mom’s breast, almost crawl up to the Montgomery glands. Those glands will release a fluid that smells and taste like amniotic fluid. The baby scoots their self up there, tips their head back, opens their mouth and latches out.”

Typically, reasons for unsuccessful breastfeeding is not because there is lack of milk or failure to latch, she noted.

“Usually with a few small tweaks, babies should be able to latch,” Schmerold said. “Many moms stop breastfeeding before they want to because they don’t have enough support, which is the thing that is missing. So, they stop before they want to mainly because of that.”

A few of Saint Anthony’s hospital’s labor-and-delivery nurses also are certified lactation counselors, but are unable to see women in an outpatient setting.

“They can help initially after the birth of a baby, but it’s really important for women to have support in the first two weeks after the birth,” Schmerold explained. “This is when they find they feel there’s no milk, no latch, or feel pain and soreness. Breastfeeding should not hurt.”

It’s common for women to exchange information and tell other women that their nipples hurt or are tender from breastfeeding and think they just need to “toughen up,” but that is not the case, Schmerold said.

“If women are hurting or experiencing pain due to breastfeeding, it’s usually because of the latch,” she noted. “If that is happening, it’s important to see a lactation specialist, to see how the baby is latching. Usually the baby doesn’t have enough breast tissue in their mouth. Sometimes the latch is not open enough and the problem gets worse. But a latch can be easily adjusted.”

Schmerold entered practice of her new specialty just a few weeks ago and already is very pleased with her additional role in the office.

“I’m extremely helpful, very happy I’ve done this,” she said. “In the pediatric office, women come in very frequently in the first few weeks of babies’ lives. If a baby is not gaining quite enough weight, moms think there’s no milk, but usually either the baby is not being put to the breast frequently enough or there’s some way in which the baby is not sucking or not enough latch. So no matter how long the baby is sucking, milk is not transferring to their mouth.

“I can help by watching the baby feed and making small adjustments and suggestions, in able to help the baby grow without having to add formula right away or at all. We try not to do that if a woman really wants to breastfeed and work with them to meet their goal.”

In addition to first-time moms, Schmerold can help mothers who haven’t had a baby in a few years or older-than-average moms.

“It can be challenging at first, or uncomfortable, but it’s been helpful already for those moms, to provide a few suggestions,” she said. “I see a huge difference. It’s really rewarding to see the difference it makes in a mom and how grateful they are to be able to continue breastfeeding. Anyone can breastfeed; each baby is different. Even if they waited a few weeks and then decided to breastfeed, it’s still possible.”

Mothers can call Saint Anthony’s pediatric office to set up an appointment just before lactation in order to see Schmerold as a primary care provider, for well-child checkups, or even if they are receiving care elsewhere, during babies’ one-month checkup, they also can undergo lactation counseling.

“They can call the office and I can see them just for that, as well,” said Schmerold, who also will do meet-and-greets with moms before they commit to lactation counseling.

Most health insurance will cover lactation counseling because usually there is an issue of low weight gain or lactating mothers experiencing pain.

For more information or to schedule an appointment or a meet-and-greet with Schmerold for lactation counseling, call the Saint Anthony’s pediatric physician’s office at 618-462-2222. Also, Dr. Nauman is accepting new patients.

The pediatric office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office accepts same-day appointments from newborn patients to age 18.